The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-05

Before going to bed Cesar Alexander went
into his small yard, lifted stick or two OF
wood from the turkeys barrel and took
long and fond look at his prize. Suddenly
hand was laid on bis shoulder and he turned
with quakinG knees, expecting to face the
village constable; but dark as it was lie could
see that the hand belonged to q gentleman Of
his own color, though ono with whom he was
entirely unacquainted-"i kind of old fash
ioned lookin' nigger, he said when telling the
story afterward. Reassurcd to find that it
wasn't tho law be had to confront, he put
considerable bravado into his voice as he said:
"Who are We, anyhow; and what dye want
in gemmen's yard ut night? It's forenenSt
the law to creep aroun' honest folks houses
on the sly that way"
"Casar! Caesar" said the other, without
appearing in the least iatimilated; II an ore
OF yer ancestors, from way back, and l can't
come to yer il daytime because I've been dead
long time"
Here Caesars teeth chattercd and his legs
gave way under him.
"Brace up" said the ancestor, slapping him
OIL the shoulder. Brace up! I'm here for
yer good, not for yer harm: want ye to
kerry that turkey back. Ye've done some
thing to disgrace the name Of Shakewell, and
l won't stana it. The constable will be down
onto We tomorrow mornin' fore 3 O'Clock If ye
don't. en- thercil be. a neighborhood scandal
about this bird that'll make the whole race o
Shakcwclls shake in their graves. Cesar!
for the sake of your proud and honorable am
ccstoi. take that bird back, and tomorrow
tale yer gun and go to the woods and git one
O tie turkeys Nv yer fathcrs-an' its bird
that no nigger ought to turn up hls lose at,
either"
Here the "nnccstor' sniffcd delishtedly at
something invisible, something i'll his nlem-
ory apparently, and thea Went on:
"It's i bird Cat 10 man OWES; los de true
Vabririah turkey. 'Tisn't feathcred bird;
'tisn;t a fowl at all. 1t wears fur, an has
fifty teeth, bristly tongue, long plehellsi-
bic tail-you see, Cesar, yer Ancestor
had larnin'-and planugrade feet, Cesar, 1t
has plantigrade feet"
"ugh!" said Cesar, too dazcd to utter an
ineligible wcrd.
The "ainccstor'' continued: ats feet has
as many toes on each foot as nlan, aid
lone. sharp claws on every toe 'ccpt its inside
one. 1t uses dat us thumb. 1t is marsupl3l
turkey, Cesar" Here the ancestor smiled at
the towering proportions of bis own learning,
but presently talked on
"A!ire it has all odor We can't mistake, an
roasted he smells better Eor Hover garden.
He's Lirtl worth givin' thanks over. Now,
take dat Ole droOpil', wlito folks turkey
back to his yowncr, and 60 out ter-morrah and
git do 'rossllnl. de 'riSinal turkey OBJ old YAH
giniall, de turkey of yer fathcrs'-and 10! the
ancestor vanished.
Pelspiring at every pore Cesar Alexander
shouldcvcd the turkey and started toward
Col. Fairgrovc's. Just as he was about to
enter the yard, through the break ill tho
fence previously made by himself, he felt
another hand laid OH his shoulder with con-
siderable emphasis Fearing that another
and still more terrible ancestor was about to
have speech with him, he sank to the earth,
without daring to look around. Then the
hand grabbed linn more firmly and gave him
a vigorous shake. He looked up appeallngly
and confronted the constable. With groan
he tainted dead away.
"What yc groanin' and carrying on like an
animal fur!' was the next thing he heard.
The question was propounded i'll his Wlfes
most ungenllo voice.
He oHncd lis eyes slowly ard III al1ect
fear, and found himself sitting by his own
fircsi,;c, the children iii bed and Dlrs Shake
well standing by him with her hand OH his
shoulder. lie never was so happy Ill his life.
Col. FairGrovcs turkey was sale where 1t be-
longeL; hc had never stolen it, and lie hadn't
met any dead and gone ancestor ct ell, only
in dreams Furthermore, he inwardly re-
solved that he never would, II ancestors visits
only followed thcitS.
The next day when lie set OF with his gun
he told Mrs. Shakowcll thGt he would bring
home 'Nuh.illiah' turkey. And he diu.
lie held it up with pride and JOY on his re-
turn, and YVES rewarded by smile from that
cxacting lady.
The 'Io>sin was eaten with gravy and
erase, and ,,ir. &lal;cwcll's standing i'll the
Community remained unilnpaircd. As he
bert over his own fragrant thanksgiving
board lie l.lt more tliau usual cause for graft
tude. "Nahsiniah TURKEYS was good enough
fer NV fathers, and good nougll fer me-" he
often says; Lut though lie sometimes tells OF
the c.:tounrcr with his ancestor, he never
tells of tie ca.llac OF that worthy individuals
visit TO him. MAX ELTON.